Mikal Bridges took one of the greatest leaps in the NBA last season after he joined the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline. The Phoenix Suns famously shipped him and Cameron Johnson in a blockbuster deal for Kevin Durant.
Having averaged a solid 17.2 points per contest with Phoenix, Bridges took his game to another level as Brooklyn’s number-one option for the last 27 games of the regular season. With the Nets, Bridges poured in 26.1 points per game on 47.5% shooting from the field and 37.6% shooting from three.
At Media Day, Bridges addressed his status as Brooklyn’s main star and the expectations that will come with it, per Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.
“Who wouldn’t want that pressure, those expectations,” Bridges said. “If you really love the game, you want that. You want it to be on your shoulders… I feel like I’m ready for the moment. I always have been.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Mikal Bridges & Brooklyn Nets Updates
Although it happened in a modest sample size, Bridges displayed superstar potential with his rare ability to increase his efficiency while boosting his shot volume. While averaging five more field goal attempts with Brooklyn, the talented wing actually shot 1.2% better than he did across his first 56 games of the season.
When asked about a potential first-time All-Star selection, Bridges downplayed its overall importance.
“I can’t sit up here and lie that I don’t wanna make an All-Star team,” Bridges said. “That’s something that’s just not on my mind. It just happens with doing good things, winning… Maybe those things come if we win, if not, that’s fine.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Mikal Bridges & Brooklyn Nets Updates
Spencer Dinwiddie, who also joined Brooklyn at the 2023 trade deadline, pointed to Bridges as a leader for the Nets during his Media Day presser.
“This team will go as far as Ben and Mikal take it,” Dinwiddie said, per Slater.
Bridges, who just turned 27 at the end of August, is entering his prime as one of the league’s most versatile two-way players. Armed with a skill set tailor-made for the modern NBA, Bridges is only getting better and better.
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